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B’nai B’rith International has issued the following statement:

B’nai B’rith International condemns the theatrics of Ohio University Student Senate President Megan Marzec as she turned an ALS ice bucket challenge from the university president into a totally inappropriate protest, calling for a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel by the school.

Last week Ohio University President Roderick McDavis called on Marzec to complete the ice bucket challenge, supporting research for Lou Gehrig’s disease. Instead, Marzec posted a video of herself pouring a bucket of “blood” over her head, claiming Ohio University is complicit in the “genocide” and “occupation” of Palestinians and demanded the university sever any and all Israeli ties.

By doing this, Marzec repeated shock-worn canards about Israel long utilized by those who wish to demonize and delegitimize Israel.

Defined by the rejection of Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish democratic state in the ancestral Jewish homeland, the BDS movement directs discrimination and double standards at the Jewish state alone, and further denies the right of Israelis to live safely while already facing relentless terrorism and violent fanaticism. 

Marzec’s “performance” on this issue is another example of hatred toward Israel emanating from university campuses where some students have blindly supported the BDS movement. B’nai B’rith hopes that should Marzec bring attention to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the future, she will steer clear of dramatics and opt for constructive dialogue.